The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 So the word of Sh'mu'el came to all Isra'el. Isra'el went out to fight against the P'lishtim, setting up camp at Even-'Ezer, while the P'lishtim camped at Afek.
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Now at that time the Philistines came together to make war against Israel, and the men of Israel went out to war against the Philistines and took up their position at the side of Eben-ezer: and the Philistines put their forces in position in Aphek.
2 The P'lishtim drew up in battle formation against Isra'el. The battle was fierce, and Isra'el was beaten by the P'lishtim - they killed about four thousand soldiers on the battlefield.
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And the Philistines put their forces in order against Israel, and the fighting was hard, and Israel was overcome by the Philistines, who put to the sword about four thousand of their army in the field.
3 When the army had returned to camp, the leaders of Isra'el asked, "Why has ADONAI defeated us today before the P'lishtim? Let's bring the ark for the covenant of ADONAI from Shiloh to us, so that he will come among us and save us from our enemies."
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And when the people came back to their tents, the responsible men of Israel said, Why has the Lord let the Philistines overcome us today? Let us get the ark of the Lord's agreement here from Shiloh, so that it may be with us and give us salvation from the hands of those who are against us.
4 So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark for the covenant of ADONAI-Tzva'ot, who is present above the k'ruvim. The two sons of 'Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, were there with the ark for the covenant of God.
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So the people sent to Shiloh and got the ark of the agreement of the Lord of armies whose resting-place is between the winged ones; and Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were there with the ark of God's agreement.
5 When the ark for the covenant of ADONAI entered the camp, all Isra'el gave a mighty shout that resounded through the land.
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And when the ark of the Lord's agreement came into the tent-circle, all Israel gave a great cry, so that the earth was sounding with it.
6 On hearing the shout, the P'lishtim asked, "What does this great shout in the Hebrews' camp mean?"Then they realized that the ark of ADONAI had arrived in the camp,
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And the Philistines, hearing the noise of their cry, said, What is this great cry among the tents of the Hebrews? Then it became clear to them that the ark of the Lord had come to the tent-circle.
7 and the P'lishtim became afraid. They said, "God has entered the camp! We're lost! There was no such thing yesterday or the day before.
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And the Philistines, full of fear, said, God has come into their tents. And they said, Trouble is ours! for never before has such a thing been seen.
8 We're lost! Who will rescue us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that completely overthrew the Egyptians in the desert.
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Trouble is ours! Who will give us salvation from the hands of these great gods? These are the gods who sent all sorts of blows on the Egyptians in the waste land.
9 Be strong; and behave like men, you P'lishtim; so that you won't become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Behave like men, and fight!"
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Be strong, O Philistines, be men! Do not be servants to the Hebrews as they have been to you: go forward to the fight without fear.
10 The P'lishtim fought, Isra'el was defeated, and every man fled to his tent. It was a terrible slaughter - 30,000 of Isra'el's foot soldiers fell.
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So the Philistines went to the fight, and Israel was overcome, and every man went in flight to his tent: and great was the destruction, for thirty thousand footmen of Israel were put to the sword.
11 Moreover, the ark of God was captured; and the two sons of 'Eli, Hofni and Pinchas, died.
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And the ark of God was taken; and Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, were put to the sword.
12 One of the soldiers, a man from Binyamin, ran and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothes torn and earth on his head [as a sign of mourning].
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And a man of Benjamin went running from the fight and came to Shiloh the same day with his clothing out of order and earth on his head.
13 As he arrived, 'Eli was sitting on his seat by the road, watching; because he was trembling with anxiety over the ark of God. When the man entered the city and told the news, the whole city began crying out.
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And when he came, Eli was seated by the wayside watching: and in his heart was fear for the ark of God. And when the man came into the town and gave the news, there was a great outcry.
14 On hearing the cries, 'Eli asked, "What does this uproar mean?" So the man hurried, came to 'Eli and told him.
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And Eli, hearing the noise and the cries, said, What is the reason of this outcry? And the man came quickly and gave the news to Eli.
15 'Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his gaze was fixed, because he was blind.
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Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes were fixed so that he was not able to see.
16 The man said to 'Eli, "I'm the soldier that came; I escaped today from the battlefield." He asked, "How did things go, my son?"
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And the man said to Eli, I have come from the army and have come in flight today from the fight. And he said, How did it go, my son?
17 The one who had come with the news answered, "Isra'el fled before the P'lishtim, and there was a terrible slaughter among the people. Your two sons, Hofni and Pinchas, also are dead; and the ark of God was captured.
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And the man said, Israel went in flight from the Philistines, and there has been great destruction among the people, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.
18 As soon as he mentioned what had happened to the ark of God, 'Eli fell backward off his seat next to the gate, broke his neck and died; for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Isra'el forty years.
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And at these words about the ark of God, Eli, falling back off his seat by the side of the doorway into the town, came down on the earth so that his neck was broken and death overtook him, for he was an old man and of great weight. He had been judging Israel for forty years.
19 His daughter-in-law, Pinchas's wife, was pregnant and near delivery-time. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and husband were dead, she went into abnormal labor, bent over and gave birth.
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And his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was with child and near the time when she would give birth; and when she had the news that the ark of God had been taken and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, her pains came on her suddenly and she gave birth.
20 As she was dying, the women standing by her said to her, "Don't be afraid, because you have given birth to a son." But she didn't answer or show any sign of recognition.
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And when she was very near death the women who were with her said, Have no fear, for you have given birth to a son. But she made no answer and gave no attention to it.
21 She named the child I-Khavod [without glory], saying, "The glory has departed from Isra'el"; because the ark of God had been captured, and because of her father-in-law and husband.
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And she gave the child the name of Ichabod, saying, The glory has gone from Israel: because the ark of God was taken and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 She said, "The glory of Isra'el has gone into exile, because the ark of God has been captured."
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And she said, The glory is gone from Israel, for the ark of God has been taken.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.